The San Diego Padres right-hander pitched six innings Friday against his favorite NL foils and beat the Miami Marlins 9-2.

Volquez improved to 6-0 with a 2.37 ERA in eight career starts against the Marlins.

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``For some reason I just get comfortable pitching against Miami,' the Dominican said. ``The weather makes me feel like I'm pitching at home.'

The temperature was 78 degrees in air-conditioned Marlins Park, but Volquez improved to 3-0 in three career starts in Miami. He allowed two runs and struck out eight.

``I felt great. Everything was working tonight,' said Volquez (6-6), who lowered his ERA to 5.50. ``I just want to be agressive in the strike zone, not walk too many hitters and stay in the game six or seven innings.'

Six of his eight strikeouts came looking. He gave up at least one hit in every inning, but he also retired the leadoff batter in every inning.

``When they did stress him with base runners, he made pitches,' Padres manager Bud Black said.

Will Venable drove in three runs and Logan Forsythe hit a two-run homer to help San Diego beat Ricky Nolasco, who has been the subject of trade talk. Nolasco (4-8) allowed six runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings to match or surpass his worst effort of the season in all three categories.

San Diego is among the teams believed to be interested in the right-hander, who is the Marlins' leader in career victories.

``I'm sure there were a lot of scouts in the stands watching,' Black said.

Nolasco said recent trade talk didn't affect his performance.

``You read about it and see it on the Internet,' Nolasco said. ``But my job is to focus on what I have to do every fifth day. Just because I didn't get it done today doesn't mean I'm not focusing or trying everything I can.'

Nolasco is on the market because he is by far the highest-paid player for cost-conscious Miami, and he becomes a free agent after the season. He predicted teams interested in him won't be dissuaded by his latest outing.

``Whether I pitched good or bad tonight, I don't think that's going to dictate what kind of pitcher I am or what they're going to get,' he said.

Black said the Padres had a good plan against Nolasco, who threw 110 pitches.

``We drove his pitch count up early, so he was stressed and working hard,' Black said. ``That takes its toll on a pitcher for sure. The mistakes that he did make, we did some damage.'

Venable and Forsythe each had three of the Padres' 15 hits. San Diego has outscored Miami 20-3 this season while winning all four games.

The Marlins' loss snapped a three-game winning streak that matched their longest this year. It was the first time in the past 11 games that they've allowed more than three runs.

Miami managed at least one hit in each of the first eight innings but went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

The Padres made it 1-all in the second when Chase Headley singled, stole second and scored on Venable's two-out single. They took the lead for good in the third when Volquez singled and Forsythe hit his third homer.

With San Diego ahead 3-2, Miami had a runner at second base when Venable charged from right field and made a diving catch of Nolasco's soft fly to end the fourth inning.

``I didn't think he was going to catch it,' Nolasco said. ``I was more worried about getting thrown out at first.'

NOTES: Padres 2B Jedd Gyorko, who aggravated his strained right groin while on a rehabilitation assignment Wednesday with Double-A San Antonio, rejoined the Padres to undergo treatment and is expected to miss at least a few more games. He said he felt much better than when he was first hurt June 9. ... San Diego SS Everth Cabrera (strained hamstring) took part in pregame drills and might come off the disabled list Tuesday, the first day he's eligible to return. He's expected to go on a brief rehabilitation assignment before being activated. ... The barrel of Morrison's shattered bat flew into the 13th row when he grounded out in the eighth, but no one was hurt. ... The Padres signed OF Jordan Paroubeck, the 69th overall selection in this month's draft, and have signed 18 of their first 19 picks. ... Headley is 8 for 18 (.444) against Nolasco.

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